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Arguably no player is expected to have more eyes fixed on him in South Africa this month than Argentina's top striker Lionel Messi, who will try to lead his soccer-mad nation to a third World Cup title.

The reigning 22-year-old FIFA player of the year has piled on the credentials during the past three seasons. Following a 2008 Olympic gold medal, Messi dominated La Liga with Barcelona, winning the Treble trophies in 2009 while becoming the youngest scoring champion of the Champions League. This year he won the European Golden Shoe with 34 goals.

Messi will lead the firepower for a team steeped in soccer history. Having won two World Cups, one Confederations Cup, and the last two Olympic tournaments, it is one of only two teams (France being the other) to win all three major FIFA championships. It also lays claim to 14 Copa America titles.

"We will win it. This is our year," contends Carlos Guzman, 63, a native of Argentina who now resides in Vancouver as a retired butcher.

Guzman understands the pressures on this year's club, after being witness to both World Cup championships while living in Argentina.

La Albiceleste won its first World Cup in 1978 on home soil but amid match-fixing allegations, dictatorial rule and the Dirty War. Politics aside, Guzman celebrated in the streets of his hometown, singing and dancing like any good Argentinian does after a big international game.

"Looking back, a lot of people knew what was going on, but with the win of the World Cup it brought a lot of joy to the country," he said.

Guzman is more reminiscent of Argentina's highly convincing 1986 World Cup victory in Mexico and the legendary Diego Maradona's golden (and Godly?) performance.

"My favourite World Cup moment was when Maradona took on half of the English team to score one of the best -- if not the best -- goal ever scored in a World Cup," he said, referring to the famous quarterfinal match against England Maradona dominated with two goals -- one FIFA declared the greatest goal in World Cup history and the other infamously called the "Hand of God" goal.

In what could be a storybook script at South Africa 2010, Maradona has returned to the Argentinian side as the head coach.

Argentina boasts one of the deepest, most threatening offences in the World Cup with a 4-4-2 format.

Wearing his team's highly recognizable white-and-blue striped jersey, Messi will have the support of several star forwards. Striker Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid scored 25 goals in La Liga, second best to Messi. Carlos Tevez of Manchester City was fourth in Premier League scoring with 23 goals. And rounding out the strikers is 2010 Champions League hero Diego Milito of Inter Milan.

Guzman noted Argentina's midfield is equally as strong as other elite teams. The core is made up of Liverpool duo Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez while Estudiantes midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron will provide veteran leadership as the most capped player on the team.

But oddly enough, Argentina, with its wealth of stars from Europe's top leagues, barely slotted into the fourth and last South American World Cup qualification spot behind Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay with an unconvincing 1-0 win over Uruguay in the last game of the regional tournament.

Argentina is the highest-ranked team in its group and will face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece. It has advanced past the group stage eight of the last nine World Cups.

gwood@vancouversun.com

Team: Argentina

Nickname: La Albiceleste (White and Sky Blue)

Soccer players: 2,658,811

Captain: Javier Mascherano, Liverpool FC

World Cup appearances: 15

FIFA ranking: 7

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Argentina World Cup soccer fans: Butcher feels a side of Messi will roast all rivals

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